7 Reasons Having Two Kids Is Easier Than One

When I was pregnant with my second child, a few friends tried to warn me of what was to come. “Having two kids is so much different than having one,” one told me, insinuating that the change wasn’t necessarily for the better. “Going from one to two kids is no joke,” another flat-out said, causing me to wonder just how much harder a tiny, helpless newborn could possibly make our already hectic lives. For the most part, I laughed off their unsolicited comments, but when my son was born, making me the mother of an infant and a 2 ½-year-old, I got it: Two kids definitely was no joke.

But what many people failed to inform me was that, eventually, having two kids is easier than having one. Sure, it’s more expensive and increases your odds of being woken up in the middle of the night — and the choreography of various school drop-offs, playdates and activities will give anyone a headache. Nevertheless, the older my kids have gotten, the easier many aspects of parenting have become — and I attribute a good chunk of this to the fact that they have each other.

If you’re thinking about having a second child and worried about what on earth you're getting yourself into, here are seven ways having two kids is eventually easier than one.

1. They entertain each other for hours on end.

I am knocking on wood as I write this, but my kids seem to have finally gotten to the point where they play — really play — with each other for long stretches of time. When I’m with just one of my children, I often find myself playing with them and entertaining them, which is nice — for a while. While I love hanging with my kids, playing house and/or hide-and-seek aren’t my biggest hobbies. It’s nice for them — and me — to have a built-in playmate.

2. There’s always an extra set of hands to offer comfort.

Every once in a while, mom or dad isn’t enough to comfort one of the kids. The perfect antidote? Their sibling. My daughter loves getting squishy hugs from her younger brother when she’s feeling down, and vice versa. And to be honest, it’s basically the cutest thing ever.

3. They offer legit help in times of need.

I can’t tell you how many times my 5-year-old has run and grabbed me an extra pack of wipes when I’ve run out in the middle of changing her brother, or how many times my son has happily run into the living room to grab his sister’s cup before dinner. Sure, they’re small things, but they make life much easier.

4. They seem to always know where the other one’s stuff is.

Being that my son isn’t quite 3 yet, he doesn’t always know — or at least know how to articulate — where the missing piece of his train is or where his other shoe went. My daughter, on the other hand, always seems to be in the know about these things.

5. Car trips are easier.

There comes a point in every long car ride where, despite how many snacks, fun songs and toys you have, kids start getting restless. While I can’t say every long car ride is smooth sailing with my children, there does seem to be way less whining and choruses of “are we there yet?” now that they have each other.

6. They’re better eaters.

No parent wants their children to compete with one another, but both of my kids tend to eat whatever is on their plate (even if they haven’t in the past) if the other one is eating it. Small victories, people.

7. Things are less scary when they have a buddy.

While my children don’t share a bedroom yet, many parents report that their kids aren’t as scared of the dark and are less likely to wake up in the middle of the night when they’ve got a sibling in the room with them. With my kids, this rings true for our basement. Before my son was old enough to actually play, my daughter refused to go down into the basement alone, despite it being our playroom. Now, though, as long as she’s got her buddy with her (and as long as I check in on them), she has no problem being down there — and I think that’s pretty adorable.

This story is meant to reflect individual contributors' experiences and does not necessarily reflect What to Expect's point of view. This content is not intended to be used as medical advice, for diagnosis, or treatment.